HAMMOND-Strong, violent thunderstorms passing through the area make a path for dark green skies, which is unusual for several people. All is quiet, except for the emergency alerts heard on car radios and television sets. For miles, nothing is in sight until a medium-sized funnel cloud appears and starts twisting and rotating to the earth below.
Jana Foggan-Cumulonimbus clouds, or thunderheads (shown here), is the start of most tornadoes.This image is one generally seen in the event of the most violent natural disaster known to the human race: the tornado. Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that extend to the ground from the most severe thunderstorms on our planet: the supercell thunderstorm. While Louisiana is not located in the Great Plains region, the state has seen its fair share of violent thunderstorms as well as tornadoes.
During the regular tornado season, storms tend to form during the spring and summer months. In Louisiana, storms can form anywhere at any given time. The hottest spot in the state tends to be Tangipahoa Parish located in southeastern Louisiana.
Natives of Louisiana can say that they have never seen or heard a tornado up close and personal, but Paula Brooks, 2007 Southeastern Louisiana University alum, has had her fair share of experiencing the wrath of Hammond's weather during her time at Southeastern. "I often hear of tornadoes in areas near water such as Orleans, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Lake Charles," Brooks said about the tornado hot spot regions.
While tornadoes are not as common in the Southeast as they would be in Oklahoma, Texas, or Kansas, it is still very important for the people of Hammond and surrounding areas to know about these vicious storms and the necessary precautions needed in the event of a storm. People who live in the Great Plains could tell all of the warning signs, but very few could tell you warning sights and sounds other than from the television alerts. Brooks stated, "The sky is often strange looking, dark, and funny colored when there is a danger of tornadoes. Large hail can often be an indicator as well. Low swirling clouds are definitely a tornado in the making."
From Brooks' experiences with commuting to and from Southeastern's campus from Gonzales and Baton Rouge, the sights and sounds of a tornado in progress can be amazing yet frightening. Tornadoes often leave people wondering what they should do or where to go since no one in the state, especially in and around Hammond, have basements they can run to for safety. "Tornado awareness is very important because it can save someone's life. It is important in the Hammond area because Tangipahoa is often affected by severe weather and tornadoes, and there are thousands of students on Southeastern's campus. Tornadoes usually occur with little or no warning so it is important for people to know what to do and where to go when one is approaching," said Brooks.
The advice given by Brooks should not be taken for granted, especially if students, faculty, and life long residents are in the Hammond area. Louisiana does not have warning systems such as sirens as several people would find in the Midwest, but Brooks suggested excellent methods that could save more lives not just for people in Tangipahoa but for those living elsewhere in the Southeast and throughout the country where tornadoes are not as frequent. "Towns should have an alarm system that sounds when a tornado is approaching. The emergency broadcast system is a good method of warning the public through television and radio. People should stay indoors and avoid going outside and seek shelter behind walls and avoid rooms with glass," Brooks said.
It may be easy for natives to take notice to the tornado warning signs, but for some individuals, it may not be as easy. There will always be a group of people in particular who may not be able to get out or know where to go in case a tornado strikes. In that group of people, Brooks states that the elderly, those who live in mobile homes and trailers, and the physically impaired are at the greatest risk during these storms.
Several people never knew that Tangipahoa in particular was a magnet for tornadoes in Louisiana. However, everyone living in the entire state should take heed to the warnings and signs in order for them to be safe and know exactly what to look for. Tornadoes may not be as common here, but as time moves forward, the storms will be more frequent, and more eyes should watch the skies and be prepared as Tangipahoa Parish continues to be a tornado target.
NOLA.com story
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